Tempo-lever mechanism for automatic playing-pianos.



C. BERGLAND.

TEMPO LEVER MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC PLAYING PIANOS. APPLICATION m n JULY 30'.1 9r4.

- 1,276,314. Patented 151155120, 1918.

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UNITED STATES PATENT onmon.

CARL BERGLAND, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO GULBRANSEN-DIGKINSON COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

TEMPO-LEVER MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC PLAYING-PIANOS.

Specification of Letters Patent. P t t d Aug. 20,1918.

Application filed July 30, 1914. Serial No. 854,014.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL BERGLAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Tempo-Lever Mechanism for Automatic Playing-Pianos, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to automatlc playmg pianos and has to do particularly with lever mechanism for use in conjunction with the tempo mechanism of such pianos. I

My invention is of great utility owing to the fact that the mechanism is so located as to be readily accessible to the operator, and, further, it presents a very neat appearance.

My invention contemplates mechanism which is disposed in an opening in the key bed and when the mechanism is not in use the actuating member thereof is forced into a position so as to be flush with the top of the key bed.

My invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view illustrating lever mechanism embodying the features of my invention' F i g. 2 isa side view of the lever mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top view of the parts shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 illustrates a view whereln the leyer mechanism is shown in operatlve relation with the tempo mechanism.

As shown in Fig. 1 the key bed 5 has an opening 6 which admits a lever comprising a telescoping member 7 secured to a shaft 8 by means of a screw 9. The member 7 is provided with an opening 10 whlch receives a rod 11 provided at its lower end with cross pieces 12, 12,'which engage 1n the slots 13,13. The rod 11 has mounted thereon a sleeve 1 1 which is held on the rod 11 by means of a screw 15. The upper end of the rod 11 is flattened as shown at 16, and at 17 there is pivoted an actuating member 18 which has two lugs 19, 19 for engagement with the pivot 17. The actuating member 18 is adapted to be rotated in one direction only; owing to the stop at 19 which bears against the surface 20 when the member 18 is in its horizontal position. The member 18 is of such a conformation that in its down position it completely fills an opening 21 in the plate 22 which is in the key bed 5. The shaft 8 is supported by means of bearings .23 fastened to the under side of the key bed 5, one end of this shaft having a depending portion 24 pivoted to a rod 25 which is pivoted at 26 to an arm 27 extending from the vertical rod 28 which is suitably supported in the piano. The lower end of therod 28 has an arm 29 to which is pivoted a rod 30 leading to ,anarm 31 of a valve 32. This valve serves the purpose of controlling the air supply from the air chest 33 through the hose 34 and to the air motor. The upper end of the rod 28 has an arm 35 to which is pivoted a rod 36 which leads to the usual indicating mechanism but which is not shown in the drawings.

My invention is concerned with the lever mechanism and therefore a detailed explanation of the cooperative mechanism is not deemed necessary.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows:

When the operator desires to actuate the tempo mechanism the actuating member is rotated so as to occupy a substantially paral- [lel position with respect to the rod 11. It is then lifted slightly and then forced down in order that the tongue 37 may be brought into engagement with the lug 38 extending from the arm 7 so that the surface 20 bears against the edge 39 of the rod 11 as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The actuating member and the mechanism to which it is pivoted may then be turned in order to 1'0- tate the shaft 8 and thereupon the proper actuation of the valve 32 is secured in order to permit the desired amount of air to flow to the air motor, thus controlling the movement of the music sheet. When the operator is through playing the actuating member 18 tion.

I claim as new and desire to securevby Letters Patent:

1. In a piano, the combination of a key bed having an opening, a rotatable lever in said opening, the lower portion of which cooperates with the tempo mechanism, said lever comprising two portions relatively movable, a lug on one portion, and a pivoted actuating piece adapted to be brought into a substantially vertical position, and a tongue on' said piece adapted for engagement behind the lug so that the lever may be rotated, said actuating piece when in its horizontal position serving to close the opening in the key bed.

2. In a piano, the combination of a key bed having an opening, a rotatable lever in said opening operatively connected with the tempo mechanism, sa1d lever comprlsmg a rod and a telescoping member relatively movable, a lug on said telescoping member, a finger piece pivoted to the rod, said finger piece being adapted to be swung to an upright position so that one part thereof will abut against the edge of the rod on one side and on the opposite side will engage behind said lug, and a plate surrounding the top of the opening in the key bed, said plate having an opening so as to receive the finger'piece when it is in a horizontal position.

3. In a piano, the combination of a key bed having an opening, a rotatable lever in said opening, the lower portion of which co-' operates with tempo-mechanism, said lever comprising two portions relatively movable,

a lug on one portion, and an actuating piece pivoted to the other portion and having a tongue adapted to engage behind said lug so that said actuating piece forms an upright extension of said lever, said actuating piece when in horizontal position closing said opening.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 27th day of July, A. D. 1914.

CARL BERGLAND. Witnesses:

LEONARD WV. NOVANDER, LESLIE W. FRIoKE.

Copies 01 this patent may be obtained for five cent: each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

